Angel's Demon
by lordofthebreakdance
Summary: Back when Angel was Angelus, he and Darla have a terrible idea: to kidnap, corrupt, and raise a child only to turn her when she becomes of age. Judy was only ten when they came for her. Pre-show No connor Possibly Gunn/OC rated T for violence
1. Chapter 1

"Maybe we could…?"

Angelus shook his head ruefully. "No. It'd be dangerous." He moved closer to her on their duvet, his arm around his shoulders. "Besides, wouldn't it be more _fun_ to take one from it's home, raise it to be a monster, and change it ourselves?"

Darla laughed. "Perhaps. You really are a cruel one, Angelus."

XOX

"Mother, my collar itches terribly." Gerty pulled at her dress, only to have her hands slapped by her mother.

"You girls are ten years old! Pull at your dress one more time, and I'll take a switch to your legs when we get home."

Judy cringed, hearing her sister whine. She hated being a triplet. Her two sisters looked identical with long, straight, jet black hair and dark brown eyes. Since they look the same, three of them were expected to act the same as well.

Gerty was clumsy, the quieter of the three. She loved food. She was always tailing after their mother, trying to get approval for her latest culinary project. Her mother made a comment once that she believed her to be simple minded.

Juliet was mischievous. She liked jewelry, dresses, hats, sewing, embroidering, etc. all things material and feminine. She also had a mean streak a mile long and was constantly blaming her sisters for things she did. She was her mother's favourite so she was always believed.

The third daughter, Judith, was a little tomboy. She loved getting dirty and playing with Animals. She ran from lessons to hide up in the trees for her father to come fetch her. Her father called her his little squirrel and let her wear boy clothes when she was with the horses to not let her mother know what she'd been up to.

Judy and Juliet were rivals. Their father and mother would tell people that from birth, they had to be kept apart to keep from fighting each other. The two girls were constantly bickering and Gerty was always in the middle to balance them out.

The family left church to return to their farmhouse. Originally, the family would have breakfast and continue about their day but something stopped them on their journey back home.

People had gathered in the middle of the street. Some screaming, some crying. The girls' father got out of the carriage to take a look.

"Father, what is the matter?" Juliet asked, craning her head to take a look.

Judy looked to Gerty who was also stretching to look. Their mother rapped on her head with her knuckles.

"Gertrude, it's none of your business."

"But Julie's – "

"No back-talk either, young lady!"

Their father returned and opened the carriage door.

"Judy, I need your help. Come with me."

Juliet stood up at the same time as her sister.

"Father, perhaps it would be better if I –"

"Juliet, I asked for Judy. Come, child." He extended his arms to help her down the side.

Judy looked up at her father, hoping for an answer. He simply just set her down, retrieved a blanket from the Jockey box and took her hand to lead her down the road.

"Papa, what's wrong?"

"There's been another murder, Darling. The third one in the past two days, I'd say." He told her sadly. She squeezed his hand as a form of comfort.

Judy watched her father push through the crowd and watched the men load the body onto the blanket to carry it down to the nearest wagon headed for the funeral parlor in town. The man almost looked like he was sleeping if it wasn't for the ghostly shade of white his skin had become.

She didn't know that her father didn't really need her help but rather saw her as a something to be of comfort to those around. She was the epitome of childhood innocence.

XOX

And that is exactly what the two cloaked figures in the woods not even ten feet away from where she stood saw in her as well.

Angelus looked to Darla, a rare grin lighting up his face. "She's perfect. She's so innocent, corruptible, and old enough that she won't be forgetting what we're going to do anytime in the near future."

"Not including that with her hair and eyes, she could be easily mistaken as your daughter."

The two laughed, watching a man who must have been her father as he took her hand and returned to their carriage. They stayed in the woods and followed the horses to a secluded farmhouse in the woods.

"This just keeps improving, doesn't it, love?" Angelus mused. "No better time than the present, hmm?"

"Agreed. We attack at sundown."


	2. Chapter 2

"It's all horrid, if you ask me." Juliet commented at supper that night. "It's all blood and gore, never really anything they could do to stop the murder at all."

"Judith, elbows off the table." The mother reprimanded her.

She scowled before sitting up straight in her chair. Her father gave her a wink and patted her hand. "I need help out in the stables after supper. Would you like to give me a – "

"I think not!" Her mother cut him off. "Judith has to clear the table. The stable is not a place for a young woman anyway." She gave her daughter a firm look.

Judy sighed, "Yes, mother."

The family ate the rest of the meal in quiet. Afterwards, the two of the girls went to their room for bed, the mother sewed in the den, the father went out to the barn and Judy cleaned.

Judy knew that her boyish ways bothered her mother severely. She often heard her ask why couldn't she and Gerty be more like Juliet. However, she also heard her father argued with her that Juliet wasn't an angel and that she had two other daughters to look after too.

When she finished, she walked out to the stables to bid her father goodnight. Her mother had long since retired, not even biding a goodnight to Judy or her father. Judy didn't mind; it wasn't an unusual thing for her mother to do.

"Papa? You can come inside. Mother's gone to–"

The barn was completely empty. Not even the horses were in their stalls. She wasn't sure if he'd taken them out to the pasture for a late night grazing or possibly accidently let them out.

"Strange…" She wondered out loud. She picked up the hem of her skirt to climb to see if they were lying down or something. When she gazed over the side, she held back a blood-curdling scream as long as she could.

The horse was dead, it's throat gauged out. A black haired man was down on his knees by it's side, emitting the sort of sound Judy had heard when a boot was pulled from mud.

Before she could jump down and run, he looked up. His face was as smooth and pale as marble but twisted to a positively demonic look with yellow eyes peering out. She gasped in paralyzing fear as it morphed into the face of a handsome man with dark brown eyes, almost like her own. He stood up, and wiped the blood from his face. Not a drop was spilt on his suit.

"Well, Hello!" He grinned evilly. "Who have we here?"

She whispered, "I know what you are."

He let out a short bark of laughter. "Oh really?"

Judy attempted to jump down only to have him behind her in a flash. He grabbed her by her upper arms and held her up as if she were a toddler. She stared at him with absolute terror, not even having the power to scream.

"Didn't your mother tell you not to spy, child? It's very rude."

She kicked her legs. Her foot decked him in the chin, distracting him enough to drop her to the floor. She fell on her back, sitting up in time to grab a shovel and pushing it behind her.

The man cracked his neck. "Well, someone should teach you some manners.

The shovel whipped out, connected to his head with a loud _clang!_

"NO!" She jumped to her feet, her makeshift weapon still in hand. "No!"

"No one tells Angelus _no, missy._ I always get my way." He marched forward, blocking her into the stall. She could feel herself growing more and more terrified by the second.

She looked for a route to escape.

"Well, Master Angelus, I believed I just did." With that she ran towards him. He opened his arms to catch her only to have the child duck and slide between his legs, running out the barn door.

She struggled breathe, panic setting in like never before. She bolted across the yard, trying not to trip on the hem of her skirt. Secretly, she wished she had her work clothes on so she wouldn't fall and get caught like a fool.

The front door was locked. She screamed as loud as she could.

"OPEN THE DOOR! PAPA! GERTY! JULIE! MAMA! OPEN UP-"

The door swung open and standing there was the one man she was trying to escape. He grabbed her by the collar of her dress, yanking her inside the house.

"You shouldn't be so loud, little one. You'll wake up your parents." He mockingly scolded her.

She kicked and squirmed. He held her to him tightly.

"Wow, we got a fighter. I love it when they fight." He commented almost gleefully, taking her to the family's den. Her mother was on the sofa, her throat covered in blood. Her father was on the floor; he too, had the bloodless complexion.

"How? You can't come in unless you're invited! You're a vampire!" She cried, her eyes burning with tears. She squirmed harder only for Angelus to lower himself to her level on one knee. His hands gripped her shoulders in a vise-like grip.

"Oh you stupid girl! _Papa! You can come inside!"_ His voice was high-pitched mocking her. A thump sounded upstairs above their heads. "Who else is in the house, girl?"

She glared at him angrily, her lips pressed together tightly. He gripped her shoulders even tighter, shaking her before repeating it again:

"Who else is in the house?" He demanded. She spat in his face. His eyes flashed back to yellow for a moment before he slapped her.

"Manners! Don't forget those manners! You really should consider it." Screaming sounded as well as thudding down the stairs. He gave her a mocking grin. "There's Darla now. Let's hope she found nothing, hmm?"

A woman entered the room. She was as beautiful as an angel with curly blonde hair and blue eyes. Her hands had Judy's sisters' the collars of their nightdresses.

"What have we here?" Angelus whispered in Judy's ear. "Triplets eh? All the more fun for us."

"I say, love, one for each of us. Take the third?" Darla looked at all three of the girls.

"The only thing is, which one?"


	3. Chapter 3

Gerty looked to Judy. "Judy, what's going on? What's wrong with Mama and Papa?"

Angelus shook Judy's collar. "Yes, _Judy,_ tell her." Judy looked to Juliet, who glared angrily at her sister. "_Tell her."_

"They're dead. She killed them. He killed the horses."

"Tell them what else. Tell why they're all dead." The woman spoke softly, her voice almost melodic. Juliet kicked her legs only to have her jerked back. "Listen to your sister, Julie."

For the first time, Judy's voice broke.

"I invited them inside. It's my fault."

Juliet began to scream at her sister while Gerty burst into tears. She sobbed loudly as her sister screamed as loud as she could at Judy, fighting the hand on her neck.

"You stupid vile idiot! You awful cretin! You killed them! It's all your fault!" She shrieked. Darla bent her head down and bit Gerty's neck, cutting off her sobs.

Julie started screaming uncontrollably as her body collapsed to the floor. Angelus' hand clapped over Judy's mouth to prevent her from crying out as well. Gerty's eyes looked blankly up at the ceiling.

"Darling, wasn't that a bit hasty?" He laughed. Judy stomped on his boots to have him cry out in pain and release her. She slipped out of his arms and bolted.

She made it ten feet before she felt the familiar icy hands around her shoulders, yanking her back.

"See? This one's a fighter, hard to break. Could be a fun one to have around?"

Darla reached with her free hand to touch Juliet's hair. "Yes, but this one could make a fine daughter with her feminine ways and such. She could bring them in like flies to honey."

Juliet whimpered as Darla's hand clamped down on her hair. "Would you like to live with us? You could live forever, just the three of us. One big happy family."

"Judy…." Her eyes connected to her sister's, wide with fear.

"Oh no! She can't come. She has a prior engagement with Angelus. Dinner, if I'm correct. Would do you think, child?"

"Take me!" Judy blurted. "Take me instead. I'm more sturdy, I can handle animals, I don't eat much, I'm smaller and easier to hide – "

Angelus' hand returned over her mouth. "Child, you're going to wish you never said that. You're sisters are the lucky ones compared to what we have stored for you."

Darla gave a small smile and winked at Judy. "What can I say? You sure can pick them." With that said, she bit down on Juliet's neck. She gave a small gasp, her eyes rolling back in her head. Darla casted her to the floor as if she were an old rag doll.

Judy's eyes widened in shock. She screamed against Angelus' hand on her mouth as loud as she could until her throat felt like she would never speak again from the pain. Angelus' arm lifted her around the waist as he whispered in her ear, making her realize just how alone she was.

"Things are about to be a wee different, lass."

His fingers pinched a nerve in her neck, turning the world into darkness.

XOX

Angelus and Darla watched the little girl that sat unconscious between them in the carriage. The driver knew better than to ask questions when they paid him a substantial fee to get them as far away as possible from the town the docks about forty miles away.

The girl, Judy, was small, alright. She was ivory skinned, but not as white as her captors. The two knew that she would pass as their child but they had to get away from the town first to know that no one would recognize her.

Her hair was straight and black as a Raven's feather, falling to the bottom of her shoulder blades. Her dress was torn and dirty from her struggling. On the side of her neck was a bright purple bruise.

She would make a great subject for their experiment.

"You know if she sleeps all night, she won't sleep during the day." Darla said this in an almost mothering way, her small smile across her face. Angelus wrapped his arm around the little girl sitting between them and shook her gently.

XOX

Judy awoke to the sound of a kind voice whispering to her over her pounding headache.

"Wake up, sweetheart. You're not going to sleep all day!"

For a moment, Judy thought the night's horrors had been a horrible dream. That maybe she had knocked herself out by slipping on the kitchen floor and would wake up in bed to her Papa saying good morning and her sisters having to be nice to her like when she had fallen off her horse last spring.

Slowly, she opened her eyes and gasped.

No such luck.

She shot to her feet, making a dash to grab the door handle only to be yanked back to her seat by rough hands. Angelus' arm returned around her shoulders as she yelped in pain.

"Where do you think you're running off to?" He tousled her hair in a fake gesture of endearment. "You'll get lost or get your pretty little neck broken from the fall." His hand slid to the back of her neck. "I could do that right here and now too if that'd be better."

"Angelus…"Darla's voice was warning but her face was smiling. "Don't be so rough. She's just a child."

"I've killed hundreds of children before. What's one more?"

She looked away out the window. "You are right…." Angelus bent his head down to Judy's neck only to have Darla's hand stop him mid-way. "But you're not killing this one. She's special."

Judy looked between the two people who now were in control, literally, of her life. She knew what they were and that they wouldn't let her leave since they knew too.

"Wh-where are you taking me?" Her voice came out rough and weak from all her screaming. Both of them looked down at her as if surprised she even knew English.

"Romania."

Her heart sunk to her toes. She wasn't getting away from these two anytime soon. Where could she go in a foreign country and they wouldn't find her? They were vampires after all, and smart ones at that. She whimpered softly, pulling her knees to her chest under her dress.

Angelus rapped the top of her head with his knees. "None of that crying. I won't tolerate it."

With an almost non-existant amount of courage, Judy snapped back at him, "You don't know what it's like. You didn't lose your family!"

Angelus look to the girl with a raised eyebrow and grinned. "I know I didn't. I didn't lose them. I _took them._ They tasted just like chicken: my father, my mother, my little sister even." He looked her over. "She was close to your age when I killed her. So don't push your chances, child. You won't like the outcome."

Judy scowled and stamped on his foot. He yelped in pain before yanking Judy's hair, pulling her head back to expose her neck. "Big mistake, brat."

"You won't kill me! Darla said not to!" She retorted, her voice more calmer and firm than what she felt. His hand loosened on her hair but not by much. She pushed it away only to look Angelus fully in the eyes with a boost of confidence.

"I'm not afraid to die. I'm not afraid of you either!"


	4. Chapter 4

Darla laughed at Angelus' reaction. A little girl had just looked the most dangerous man in history square in the face and told him that she wasn't afraid of him. The girl was either incredibly brave or extremely stupid. He looked to her with a pleading look but she shook her head.

"Don't even touch her. We need her."

Judy suddenly felt very cold. She hadn't thought to ask the most important question above all.

"What do you want me for? I'm just a farmer's daughter." She asked Darla, her eyes wide again. "Why am I so special?"

Darla pulled the child to her chest, stroking her hair. If she hadn't known better, Judy would have said it almost felt motherly if it wasn't for the coldness of her skin.

"You'll find out soon enough, Judy. There will be plenty of time in the future for that."

Judy pulled away quickly. "You're going to change me." Darla smiled, letting a panicked look cross the child's face. "No! You'll have to kill me! I won't kill! I won't be one of you! You can't make me!"

Angelus yanked the child to him, pulled her head back against his shoulder. "We can and we will, child. You forget who's mercy you are at." He then whispered dangerously. "I'm not feeling very merciful at the moment either."

Judy struggled to find that bit of confidence that she had before. All she could think of now was _the door's only five feet away. If I jump, I could land safely and run…or I could die and be left on the side of the road. It'd be better than this. Juliet would have at least bit him or something-_

_That's it!_

She quickly turned her head to the side and bit down as hard as she could on the cold flesh of his hand. Angelus cried out in pain as blood filled her mouth with a sour, metallic taste. His hand slapped across her face but she glared at him, not even flinching.

"I'm not afraid of you, _Angelus._"

The carriage pulled to a stop. The three of them could hear the coachmen step down from the reins and the door opened.

"Master, Mistress, we have arrived at our destination."

Faster than Judith could see, Angelus had her by the collar and out the door, knocking the coachman down. She fell down to the ground as Angelus grabbed the innocent man by the throat.

"Are you afraid now? Allow me to show you what I can do."

Judy watched in horror as he gauged out the man's throat as he screamed only to be cutoff brutally when Angelus' hand ripped out his heart and threw it to her feet.

"Are you _afraid yet? _Allow me to show you what I can do!"

He took the knife off the now-dead coachman's belt and marched forward. She turned to run only feel his cold hand in her hair again, yanking her backwards into him. He jerked the knife upwards, tossing a knot of her hair into her face. She reached up her small hand and felt where he had cut off her hair right up to the nape of her neck.

"Angelus, that's enough. You'll scare the poor girl. Let's at least get her to the ship."


	5. Chapter 5

_**Five years later**_

A man walked down the street. The full moon shone brightly overhead, lighting the road like a spotlight.

On the corner stood a girl. She was small in frame but big enough to know that she was a teenager. Her hair was curled delicately down to her waist. Her face was ivory shaded with dark, innocent eyes that peered out.

The man saw her and added a strut to his stride. She gave a small smile and walked up.

"Um…I can't find my Father. Have you seen him?" She asked, her Romanian hinted with an English accent. She took the man's hand. "Could you help me find him?"

The man grinned. "Yes, dearie. I'll help you."

The pair continued down the street hand in hand as she lead him down an alley way. The man suddenly felt slightly nervous at the idea of where she was leading him.

"Kid, is this where your father was the last time you saw him?"

"Yes, I'm sure of it. He's very inconspicuous sir. "

"Yes very." The man was yanked away into the shadows. She could hear the very familiar suction sound of what could be mistaken for a boot being pulled out of mud. After five years, she was quite used to it and no longer felt remorse for people she helped kill.

"Happy birthday, _father."_

Angelus walked from the shadows, wiping the back of his hand across his mouth.

"Thanks for the birthday present." He commented, walking away. "Come on. Darla said she had something for me to see."

Judy followed at his heels, completely used to his demeanor. She had given up trying to please him nor did she try to run away. The two, Angelus and Darla, had broken her down completely and she knew it. It was only a matter of time before they either grew tired of her and changed her.

"Darla? Love?" Angelus called into the house. He looked down at the teen behind him. "Go to your room. We'll call for you later when we're hungry again."

Judy nodded and walked past him to go up the stairs. She looked to the living room to see on the floor was a girl about her age, tied up and gagged. She knew it was a matter of time before it was her turn too. Sadly, she also knew that she would live afterwards….in a way.

From her room, she could hear muffled screams and Darla laughing. She cracked open her book of Shakespeare's sonnets and read, ignoring it all. The sounds weren't unusual at all in their so called _household_.

She fell asleep an hour after the noises stop. One could only assume that they were out celebrating his birthday or going to eat more. They came and went when they felt like it once they knew that she wasn't going to run off anymore. She stopped trying after the third year with them.

She woke up the next sundown. She could hear yelling downstairs but didn't want to interrupt. She knew better than that. The last time she did, she broke her arm by being thrown into a wall. It healed perfectly well, of course, but one does come to realize that it is best at times to leave well enough alone.

The door was opened slowly, something was severely unusual.

"I'm coming downstairs." She called, standing up to leave.

The door opened all the way. Angelus stood in the doorway. His usually pristine suit was torn and dirty, his hair a mess and in his face. For the first time in years, Judy was afraid.

"Angelus, I'm not sure…"

He stepped into her room. "Judy….I'm so sorry."

"Angelus, if this is an act, you're scaring me. Is that what you want to hear?" She said this slowly, his hands braced in case she needed to run.

He sighed and ran his hands through hair. "You always say that to keep me calm. _I'm afraid. You're scaring me, Angelus_. …I always found it incredible that you saw me kill all your family and your pet horse, but you still were not afraid of me. But now that I'm like this," He gestured to his heart. "You're afraid."

She felt herself start shaking. Angelus's voice broke as he said, "I've done so many things to you and you're still just a child." Tears slipped down his face. "I am so sor- "

"Angelus, stop! This is cruel, even by your standards!" She snapped. "Is Darla behind this too? Is it a new ploy to make me more like you two?"

"Darla doesn't want me anymore. I've…changed." He swallowed audibly. "Would you believe that I could see everyone? All the people I've killed? Your sisters?"

Anger flaired.

"Do not talk about them like you knew them!" She growled. "Stop this game right now or I'll break a chair and stake you!"

He opened his arms wide and whispered. "Be my guest, child. I know you want to."

"There's the Angelus I know!" She launched herself at him, snatching a pencil off her nightstand. He didn't move, didn't even try to block her. She paused, looking at him for a minute. His grabbed her arms, the pencil clattering to the floor.

"See? You trust me? A filthy monster that I am! You trust the demon. How on earth can I change all the damage the two us have done to you?" His voice was remorseful but she knew he was lying. She knew that the Scourge of Europe didn't feel remorse.

"Don't even try!" She tried to jerk out his grip. His hands gripped her shoulders a lot more gently than what he normally did. She slipped from his grasp and stepped back.

"I'll make it up to you, I promise. Judy, you have to leave with me." He pleaded. "Grab your things and we'll get away from here. I promise I won't hurt you again."

She scoffed but withdrew a knapsack from under her bed. In her heart of hearts, she knew he was lying. She was used to it and had come to expect it from him. She knew better than to tell him no as well. She wasn't in the mood to witness yet another killing. His latest trick he was currently pulling was frightening her to no end as it was.

He took her hand and took the knapsack to carry it for her. The two ran down the stairs and out the door into the night, leaving the house abandoned behind them.

"Angelus, where's Darla?" Judy asked, her voice quiet with fear. He didn't answer, still in his brooding. "Angelus, where is she?"

He lead her through the night streets until they reached a large stone building.

"Child, sit here." He gestured to the stoop. She did as she was told only for him to retrieve a blanket from her bag and wrap it around her shoulders. He squatted down to her level and looked her in the eyes.

"There's people here who are going to look after you now. I'm going to leave you to them."

At first Judy sat there, stunned. She had often dreamed of this but never actually thought it would happen. Angelus was letting her go? She had only been with him and Darla for five years, she was going to be turned!

"Angelus, I want to stay with you!" She whispered, looking up at him as he stood.

"No you don't. You want things to stay the way they were. These people here will take good care of you; they'll give you real food, find you a family. You'll be fine, Judy. I can't take care of you anymore. I barely did it before."

He reached down and touched her hair. "Take care of yourself, Judy."

With that he disappeared into the night, leaving her sitting on the front stoop of an orphanage for the headmistress to find the next morning. Angelus never saw her again.

But Angel did.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Present Day**_

This is what Angel thought of as he rode down the street in his convertible. A man walked with hand in hand with a little girl, leaving him to wonder wistfully what it'd be like to have a daughter. That was until he remembered that sort of did once, despite the fact that he psychologically tortured her to no end.

Gunn was waiting for him at the corner, looking constantly down both streets before he looked up to see him pulling in. The streets had left him paranoid and it was more obvious when Gunn thought wasn't he was looking.

"What's going on? You sounded pretty scared on the phone." Angel pulled up, getting out. The two men shook hands and went into the shadows.

"Look, a demon set up camp on my turf again." He admitted, as if ashamed.

Angel smirked. "Do you know what kind?"

"That's the thing, man. It looks like a human dressed all in black with a ski-mask on. The only thing is it moves quickly and when I think it's dead, it hops right back up into life. Do you think you can check it out?"

"I think I can. Generally, there's more of a statement other than a human in black who runs fast. Gunn, it could be your twin for all I know." He moved to go back to his car. "I'll have Wesley do the research and get back to you, alr - "

He turned just in time and caught an arrow aimed straight for his heart. His fist broke it in half as he looked across the street to see who fired.

The creature was just as Gunn described. It was almost a human with a tall willowy frame and long spindly limbs. From head to toe, they were dressed in black with a black ski mask over their face. In their gloved hands was a crossbow.

Before Angel knew what to do, it turned and broke into a sprint in the alleyway. Angel turned to Gunn and ordered, "Take the car and follow. I'll take it on foot."

He bolted after it, disappearing into the dark. He could hear the light slap of the creature's footsteps around each corner as they continued their chase further and further into the maze of alleyways. He could begin to hear labored breathing as they began to run out of breath.

Angel rounded a corner, only to be round-house kicked in the face. He stumbled back before launching an attack. The creature was nimble and quick footed, aiming open-palmed hits to areas of weakness such as pressure points and joints.

He dodged and blocked them as quickly as they came at him. The creature aimed a kick to his face, only to have him grab it's ankle and twist, slamming it down to the ground. A groan of pain released from the mouth of the ski mask as they laid on the ground.

"What are you?" He asked, his voice firm. He reached down to take off the mask when it's head turned to the side and bit down on his hand. With a cry of pain, he stumbled back as the person stood up again with surprising agility.

"ANGEL!" Gunn's voice yelled out. Both of them looked up. In a moment's distraction, Angel's opponent leapt to the fire escape. Angel jumped after it and wrapped his hand around it's ankle. Without a second thought, Angel withdrew a needle from his duster and slammed it into the Demon's Heel.

There's was a sound above his head, like a scream of pain. It was followed back a weak gurgle and with one swift tug, the demon fell to the concrete with a _crunch!_ As it's skull collided with the concrete, Gunn ran around the corner to see Angel standing over the body.

"Is he dead? This one has been creepin' me out!" He commented, leaning against the alley wall. Angel shook his head, smirking as he felt for a pulse. Sure enough, it pumped feebly below the skin's surface. It felt cold to the touch due to the outside temperature.

"Nope, still alive. Go open the car door, it's coming with us."

"Are you sure?" Gunn stayed where he was. Angel looked the body over. The demon wore human clothes, a black sweater and black cargo pants with black combat boots. Slowly he reached under the ski mask over their face and yanked it up off their face.

Angel fell back against the alley wall with a yell of surprise.

Gunn only saw a girl with long black hair and an ivory pale face covered with scratches and bruises. In his eyes, she was beautiful. Angel had different thoughts however. He was pressed against the wall, as if it were full of sunlight.

"What's wrong with the demon?" He asked, his voice suddenly quiet.

Angel slowly moved forward, reaching out to touch the girl's hair. He then knelt by her and lifted her small frame into his arms but holding her body to his chest instead of picking her up.

"She's my daughter."

XOX

Judy expected to wake up with cold, rough, concrete under her back, her face damp with rain and dirt. She was accustomed to this feeling as much as her own skin. One hundred and eighty years of waking up this way did that to her.

She did not expect to be warm, dry nor did she expect to be in a place with light. Her mouth felt dry as cotton, making her cough roughly. Judy opened her eyes, making her head ache dully as light filled her retnas.

"Agh!" She cried out in pain, covering her eyes with her hands only to growl in frustration at how heavy her arms were. With a grunt of effort, she sat up in her bed and looked around.

There were no windows anywhere. The walls were made of brick from floor to ceiling with a concrete floor. The place was empty of any sort of decorations or even a simple photograph or mirror anywhere. She knew instantly who the place belonged to.

Judy leapt out of bed, panic setting in. Being captured by her step-father was not in her plan of action. She was going to kill him and then get out of there. Instead, she was in his apartment wearing a nightgown, looking like she was simply paying a visit.


	7. Chapter 7

On the chair next to the bed was a stack of clothing she recognized as the ones she had been wearing before. Quickly, she changed into them, leaving the nightgown folded in its place. She grabbed her boots and crept to the stairs.

"Good evening."

She spun around to see the one person she was avoiding making tea in his kitchen. He smiled at her and pulled out a chair to sit down in. He kicked out the chair next to him, gesturing for her to sit.

"Would you like some tea?'

Judy stayed right where she was, not quite sure how to handle this situation. The two stared at each other, staring each other down with their identical brown eyes.

She turned and ran up the steps, desperate to get out.

"The door's locked, Judy."

With a groan of frustration, she turned and sat on the top step. Below, she could hear a scuff of chair against the floor as he stood up, followed by footsteps.

"The elevator's open though."

Judy bolted down the steps and around the corner, desperate to leave. She didn't plan on Angel reaching around for her as she turned the corner and pulling her into his chest. Her arms were pinned to her sides as she kicked her legs. She opened her mouth to scream when his hand clamped down over it.

"Don't scream. I'm not going to hurt you, Precious. I just want to talk." She squirmed ever more, trying desperately to get away from the voice that was very near to her throat. She had gone two hundred years without being changed and she didn't want it to happen now.

"PHMMMMMMM!" She yelled into his hand, her voice breaking. Angel couldn't help but feel panic setting in for the both of them as he struggled to keep her from hurting him.

"Hush! I don't want to hurt you, Judy!"

She kicked her legs wildly as he held her arms to her sides. He leaned back against the wall, waiting simply for her to tire out. Even Vampires tired out eventually.

Sooner than expected, she fell back against his chest, breathing labored and hard.

"If I move my hand, are you going to scream?" He asked gently. She shook her head, making his hand lower back down to her arms as he lifted her up to place her in a chair at the kitchen table. He sat in the chair across from her as she caught her breath.

"How are you here, precious?" He asked. "I left you in an orphanage over one hundred and –"

"One hundred and fifty seven years to be exact." She snapped, crossing her arms. "You abandoned me."

He reached over to take her hand only for her to yank it away and cross her arms again, her own way of shutting him out. He sighed and walked over to the fridge.

"I'm hungry. You must be too."

Before she could answer, he tossed two bags of AB positive onto the table. He sat and began to drink from one. Judy stared at what was supposed to be her meal, her hands now down at her side. Angel paused and wiped his mouth on the back of his hand.

"Drink up, Jude. You need to feed to get better."

She stared at him for a long time, this time with only him feeling uncomfortable. He shifted in his seat, scratching the back of his head nervously.

"You don't need to be embarrassed to drink in front of me. It's okay.'

She shook her head and pushed it away, making to stand up. He reached over to grab her wrist only to let go with a yelp.

"You're hot!" He yelled. She raised an eyebrow. "I mean your temperature. You're scorching hot! How are you hot? You didn't feed!"

She looked away, "I'm not a vampire, Angelus."

"What are you, Jude? How are you here?"

She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "I'm immortal."


	8. Chapter 8

"How is that possible?" He stood, slamming his fists on the table. "If you sold your soul to some penny-demon, I swear to God – "

"You'll what? It's not like you've ever cared before." She growled, turning to leave. In a flash of black, Angel was standing in front of her, blocking her path. He gripped her shoulders tightly.

"Judy, what's that supposed to mean?" He asked, his voice still gentle and calm. That frustrated her to no end. She wanted him angry.

"All those years you tortured, maimed, killed in front of me, you never once cared about my soul. What's so special about it now, Angelus?" She watched his face, to see his reaction. He still gave none to her as she jerked out of his grasp.

"I've got my own soul now. I'm – "

"I know. You help the helpless! But I've seen the real you. The one who held me back as your girlfriend murdered my sisters! I don't believe you've got a soul, Angelus. I just think you're bored with your time and looking to try something a little different."

She watched anger flash across his face. He slammed her into the wall, his hands still gripping her shoulders tightly. She knew she'd be black and blue within minutes.

"What are you?" He demanded, holding their faces inches apart.

"I'm immortal. I was a blood slave to a vampire coven and they were all killed. I was stabbed with a stake and drank from a vat of holy water that a vampire had been dusted by. Since then, I haven't aged a day over seventeen." She yelled, no longer trying to contain her emotions.

"Damn it. Jude, if I had known, I would have helped you. Why didn't you try and find me?" His voice was softer but still angry.

"You don't think I've tried? You disappeared! I wanted to find you and hope to God that what everyone had told me was true." He let go of her shoulders and backed away but she followed him. "But I realized that if you really had a soul, you wouldn't have left me to fend for myself in a convent. They didn't want to find me a family like you said, they just wanted me to clean for them and become a nun! I didn't want that! I just wanted to stay with you so I ran away and was forced into being a blood slave so I could eat."

He reached out and grabbed her by the front of her shirt to pull her up to his eye level. She wasn't afraid of him, even after all the time that had passed. They glared at each other, both of them furiously angry at the other.

"Why did you try to kill me, Judith?"

"If I don't kill you, they won't kill me." She answered, kicking her feet out.

He dodged her boots, setting her down. She pushed him away to turn and walk to the elevator. He didn't try and stop her this time.

"I lied about the elevator."

She gave a groan and turned back to look at him. "Am I your prisoner or something? Am I not allowed to leave as I want?"

"No, you're not my prisoner. I'm just keeping the doors until you answer some questions. The big one on my mind is who's put you up to this and why you want to die?" He asked, sitting back at the table, resting his boots up on a chair.

"You already know who wants you dead. Even street demons know that Lindsey's after you. He found me, offered me the deal and I took it. Your death for mine, Angelus. Sounds like a fair trade to me." She informed him, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned against the wall.

Angel cocked his head to the side in confusion.

"Why do you want to die, Jude? You're an immortal human."

Judy felt her eyes burn with tears as he said this. This was not the first time someone had told her this and she didn't believe for half a moment that it would be the last either. She felt a tear escape from the corner of her eye.

"Easy for you to say. You don't understand! No one understands!" She grasped her hair in hands in angst. "You are not me. You're a vampire, Angelus! I am not! I'm not human, I'm not a vampire. I'm nothing! I _have_ nothing!" Tears fell down her cheeks as he sat in his chair and watched. "I have no family, no home to go to, not a dime to my name. There's nothing in this life for me!"

"So you're giving up? Committing a murder/suicide pact for your own needs?" He asked, his voice quiet as he looked at the table.

"Angelus, it's not –"

His hand slammed down on the table, denting the metal. She jumped in surprise as he stood up slowly, his face full of fury as he moved around the table. She held her ground as well as she could, trying to appear weaker than she already did.

"Do not tell me it doesn't concern me, Judith. If you don't want to live, that's your concern. But you're not taking me down with you over something so petty as you don't want to live anymore!"

Tears slipped down her face as she watched him. He slammed his face down on the table again, this time, making the metal bend in half. His fist imprinted into the material, the legs bent outwards as if in mid-jump.

"You say you don't want to live anymore? I could kill you for free!" He moved forward, making her back away to the point her back was against the wall. He felt his face slide into his game face as he marched forward. She squeaked as he grabbed her throat.

"Are you sure? You sound scared, Judith." He snarled, dangerously close to her throat. She gasped, trying to get away only for him to grab her arms. "Would you rather be like me? Be a vamp too?"

She shook her head furiously. "No!"

He pushed himself away, smirking. "Exactly. I know what you're going through. You don't want to die, you're lonely. You miss having someone there to talk to you. Believe me, I know that feeling. It's a raw emptiness that just eats you from the inside out. And just when you think that you can't be more alone, you see families and couples together and you wish desperately that you could know what that feels like!"

"Shut up, Angelus!" She yelled, stepping forward.

"No, Jude. You know I'm telling the truth! You just hate that I'm bringing it to light, don't you?" He growled, smiling as his game face fell away. She felt a hatred in the pit of her stomach, knowing that he was right in everything he was saying.

She could feel tears pricking up in her eyes again. Embarrassed, she turned away to walk back up the stairs. He stormed after her only for her to spin around and deck him straight in the face. He recoiled back as she aimed another hit for his gut. He heaved as the air left him.

Judy couldn't help but relish his grunt of pain. She kicked her boot only to have him jump out of the way, dodging her attack. She flung her fists and legs at him as hard as she could only to have him leap out of the way each time. She could feel herself wearing down, struggling not to break down.

"Fight back, damn you! You know you want to!" She taunted, a trick Darla taught her years ago. "Enough with the games, Angelus!"

He reached out and snatched her wrists. With a simple yank, she fell against him. Her walls collapsed in as she felt his arms holding her to him firmly. She seized up at the unorthodox gesture as his chin rested on the top of her head as she cried into his chest.

She collapsed against him, sobs racking her torso as he lowered them both so they were kneeling on the kitchen floor. She struggled some only for him to hold her even more tightly to him as they sat on the floor.

"I hate you."

"I know. It's okay." He kissed the top of her head. She flinched, trying not to revile to much in it. She knew he was lying. He was Angelus, the man who made her this way.

"It's your fault."

"I know." Angel's voice broke. He knew it was true and his soul made him feel all the horrendous guilt from it. The beautiful young girl he was holding was a fragile, wounded bird because of him. She was a mess because of him.

The two sat on the kitchen floor, both crying as if they were children with skinned knees. She wrapped her arms around his middle, pulling him to her, desperate to feel some sort of connection to someone, to make the loneliness go away, even if it was only for a minute. Even if it was with a man she hated with every fiber of her being.

It was a risk she would have to take.


	9. Chapter 10

"….You should rest."

Angel led her over to his bed, his arm around her shoulders to guide her as if she were too delusional to remember where the bed was before. She laid down, her eyes wide and glassy, emotionless. Her eyes slowly closed as she rested her head down on the pillow.

It'd be an hour since their little breakdown. Since then, they sat at the kitchen table together with Angel downing another bag of blood while Judy pushed eggs around her plate, trying to look like she'd been eating them. She forgot that he could smell whether or not she did.

Angel sudden felt a ripple of paternal affection as he took off her boots and pulled an afghan over her form. She didn't realize his presence or didn't choose to acknowledge him as he reached down and brushed her bangs off her forehead.

"Ummm….sleep tight, Jude."

He turned off the light and flopped down on the couch to sleep the day away.

XOX

Judy woke up to silence. She was still unaccustomed to a soft, warm bed. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up and yawned, running her fingers through her hair.

'_Man, I need a haircut. I wonder if Angel's awake.'_

She then froze, realizing a fatal mistake. She had called him Angel, not Angelus. It was time for her to get out of there before he started to make room for her or paid taxes for her or something. She couldn't deal with that and having a contract with Wolfram &Hart. Things were too complicated now that Angel knew she was alive.

Judy tossed back the coverlet and hopped down from the bed. A floor board squeaked under her socked foot. She paused, listening for any disturbance it may have caused. Silence answered back so she pulled on her boots and quickly crept across the floor as quickly as possible.

She passed by the living room. Angel was sprawled out on the couch, a blanket across his legs as he slept, not even his chest moving in his slumber. He wore a wife beater and trousers as pajamas. She smirked at how he made even milk look like it had a tan with his blue-tinted skin.

Quickly, she dipped her hand into his pocket and withdrew a set of keys. He didn't move a single hair as she tiptoed across the concrete floor to the stairs.

Before she could even set a boot on the bottom step, she heard him chuckle deeply.

"Jude, you are terrible at sneaking out. No wonder you never got away from Darla and me." His voice was laughing at her as she turned to see him sit up on the couch. "Where you off to so quickly?" He yawned, rubbing his face with the heels of his palms.

She decided to play it cool and shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "I've got some things to get done and I figured I'd get out of your hair. I suppose I'll go find someone else to do help me with what I –"

"Why?" He asked softly.

She raised an eyebrow. "Why what? I thought we've been over this. I don't want to –"

"No, why do you think I don't want you around?" He asked, standing up and stretching his arms, making his back cartilage pop. She cringed at the noise but ultimately decided to stop beating around the bush.

"Look, Angelus, I don't know what you expected bringing me back here. To play house together or something? I guess it's good that you know I'm alive and all that but what else did you want? Thanks for not killing me and letting me sleep in your bed."

She walked to the door, unlocked it, and tossed the keys back to him and left. Angel sat back down on the couch, put his head in his hands and wept.

XOX

Angel sat up to the bar. The bartender slammed down a shot glass on the counter top.

"O positive?"

"Sounds good to me."

He sipped his drink slowly, listening to some two-headed demon positively butcher what sounded like what used to be an Elvis song. Lorne in all his green-skinned, Hawaiian shirt glory hopped up on stage after them.

"That was interesting choice of a song. Up next we have a second timer, a good kid. She's a doll face, really. She'll have you in her _Jar of Hearts_ in no time."

Angel turned as the first chord played. He almost fell off his seat as he saw the girl with his identical black hair and brown eyes sitting on a barstool on stage. Her hair was braided back and she had on a navy blue sweater and black trousers, making her look positively ghostly pale.

"_I know I can't take one more step towards you_

_Cause all that's waiting is regret_

_And don't you know I'm not your ghost anymore?_

_You lost the love I loved the most_

_I learned to live, half-alive_

_And now you want me one more time_

_And who do you think you are?_

_Runnin' 'round leaving scars_

_Collecting your jar of hearts_

_And tearing love apart_

_You're gonna catch a cold_

_From the ice inside your soul_

_So don't come back for me_

_Who do you think you are?."_

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. She was a good singer, that was obvious but the pain in her voice made the song 100% more believable. He leaned back against the bar, listening for more.

"_I hear you're asking all around_

_If I am anywhere to be found_

_I have grown too strong_

_To ever fall back in your arms_

_I've learned to live, half-alive_

_Now you want me one more time."_

"Sound familiar?" A voice asked from the barstool next to him.

He looked over to see Lorne was leaning against the bar beside him, drinking as always. The demon was never seen without some sort of glass in his hand. He shook his head sadly.

"She's been dealt a hard hand of cards, Angel."

"I know. I just wish she didn't have to feel so awful all the time." 

Lorne chuckled and sipped his drink. "I know this is surprising to you, but it's you she's thinking of when she's singing. You're the one with the _Jar of hearts."_

_Who do you think you are?_

_Runnin' 'round leaving scars_

_Collecting your jar of hearts_

_And tearing love apart_

_You're gonna catch a cold_

_From the ice inside your soul_

_So don't come back for me_

_Who do you think you are?_

_Dear, it took so long_

_Just to feel alright_

_Remember how to put back_

_The light in my eyes_

Angel looked to Lorne, alarmed. She was like a daughter – Hell, she _was_ his daughter. He practically raised her, even if she was mentally scarred from it.

"I don't think of her that way. There must be some mistake." He informed him, his voice stiff and embarrassed. Judy stood up, taking the mic with her as she belted out.

_'Cause you broke all your promises_

_And now you're back you don't get to get me back_

"I understand that. She doesn't either. There isn't many songs about girls with daddy issues though so I think it's an excellent fit for her. She certainly means every word of it. That's new thing in here. Most just come through, sing a few bars and ask me to read their futures. Not many actually mean what they're up there singing." He then looked to Angel and gave him a knowing look. "Sound like someone you know?"

"_Who do you think you are?_

_Runnin' 'round leaving scars_

_Collecting your jar of hearts_

_And tearing love apart_

_You're gonna catch a cold_

_From the ice inside your soul_

_So don't come back for me_

_Don't come back at all_

_Who do you think you are?_

_Who do you think you are?"_

Judy looked up, and saw Angel sitting at the bar with Lorne. They locked eyes as she faintly sang out the last line:

"_Who do you think you are?"_

She then turned and walked off backstage, leaving an awkward pause followed by a thunderous applause in her wake.


	10. Chapter 11

**Reviews make me very happy! And this is kind of season 1 with Gunn if that makes sense. It's following it's own story line and I like Angel's apartment in the first season so I went with that set.**

**Song: My little Girl by Tim Mcgraw**

Judy fought back tears as she went behind the curtain. As with everyone who went up and sang, Lorne was waiting for her. He opened his arms and she ran to him, burying her face into his chest as she wept. His scaly emerald hand stroked her hair gently.

"Hey Kiddo, it's alright. I know it was hard for you to do. I think it got the message across to him though. You're okay, everything's going to be okay." He murmured gently, resting his chin on the top of her head.

She breathed in, wiping her eyes. "How did you know he'd be here, Lorney?"

"He usually shows up and sings whenever something's on his mind. His voice is truly awful and he hasn't hit a top forty since he's had a soul but he pays like everyone else so what else can I do?" He reached down and brushed her hair of her face with a talon.

Judy couldn't help it. She cracked a grin and giggled.

"Wait, Angelus actually sings? Like gets on the mic and opens his mouth to emit a sound?" She laughed, trying to imagine it.

Lorne grinned and wrapped his arm around her tiny shoulders to lead her to the edge of the curtain. "I wouldn't really call it a sound but see for yourself, Judes. He just happens to be up next."

Sure enough, he stood center stage with the mic in his hand. His shoulders were hunched forward as he muttered into the wire mess of the mic's speaker:

"Um….This is different from what I usually sing. I just hope the person I'm thinking of knows it's for them." His voice was his classic brooding style as the chords started up and he began to sing in a raspy voice:

"_Gotta hold on easy as I let you go._

_Gonna tell you how much I love you, though you think you already know._

_I remember I thought you looked like an angel wrapped in pink so soft and warm._

_You've had me wrapped around your finger since the day you were born._

_You're beautiful baby from the outside in._

_Chase your dreams but always know the road that'll lead you home again._

_Go on, take on this whole world._

_But to me you know you'll always be, my little girl._

_When you were in trouble that crooked little smile could melt my heart of stone._

_Now look at you, I've turned around and you've almost grown._

_Sometimes you're asleep I whisper "I Love You!" in the moonlight at your door._

_As I walk away, I hear you say, "Daddy Love You More!"_

Judy stared wide eyed, Lorne's arm still around her shoulders. Tears started to trickle down her cheeks again as she realized that he had returned the favor. He was now singing about the little black haired girl he had seen on the street side centuries ago.

"_You're beautiful baby from the outside in._

_Chase your dreams but always know the road that'll lead you home again._

_Go on, take on this whole world._

_But to me you know you'll always be, my little girl._

_Someday, some boy will come and ask me for your hand._

_But I won't say "yes" to him unless I know, he's the half_

_that makes you whole, he has a poet's soul, and the heart of a man's man._

_I know he'll say that he's in love._

_But between you and me, He won't be good enough!_

_You're beautiful baby from the outside in._

_Chase your dreams but always know the road that'll lead you home again._

_Go on, take on this whole world._

_But to me you know you'll always be, my little girl."_

He looked backstage to see her staring, her cheeks wet and her eyes shining with more tears still to come. He gave a small, uneasy smile, turning to go to her.

Instead of returning that feeling, she turned and bolted, disappearing through the backstage exit into the back alley. Angel dashed backstage, looking around frantically. "Lorne, where is she?" He asked, his voice full of worry and hope at the same time.

Lorne shook his head, chuckling darkly. "Don't you want to hear your fortune first?"

"No, you know that's not why I sang. Where's Jude?" His voice was boarder lining irritated now as he looked around.

"She's not here, Angel. She left." He clapped his colleague on the shoulder. "You two are a piece of work though. It's more dysfunctional than the Jackson five. How you two even stay in the same room for so long is beyond me."

Angel looked to the exit, the door still slightly ajar. "I need to go after her. We need to – "

Lorne blocked him from leaving, "Spend some time apart? That's exactly what I was thinking. You two need time to digest away from each other before you run off and have a happy family reunion. Both of you need to blow off some steam before someone gets hurt."

Angel pushed him away. "I show how you are with her, Lorne. You don't think I don't know what you're really up to? She's physically seventeen!"

"You mean the fact that I took her in six months ago when she came into town and sang for me? I read in her emotions that she had no place to stay so she lives in my guest room and pays for her share of Groceries. She's a good kid and deserves to have a break at least once in her life. Someone's got to have her back. That's what I'm really up to, Angel. It hurts to think you'd say something like that." Lorne snapped angrily.

"Lorne, I'm sorry but –"

"No, I've got customers. Get out."

Angel stalked off to the front exit and left as Lorne returned to the stage to continue being the MC. The audience continued to be none the wiser.

XOX

"101, 102, 103…"

Angel counted ceiling pipes at noon during the day, his eyes not even drooping. He actually felt genuinely worried about Judy, where she was, what she was doing while he sat in his bed with his insomnia and angst, brooding.

Coming down the elevator, Wesley entered the room.

"Still nothing? You haven't had caffeine, have you?" He asked.

Angel sat up in his bed. "Nothing. I'm so tired but it's killing me." Wesley sat on the foot of the bed, looking like a doctor and his patient. Angel flopped backwards on his pillow and huffed a sigh.

"You're still thinking of that girl who was here?" Wesley asked gently, not sure how to handle the situation. Angel had simply ran into the office carrying her and simply announced it was his daughter only to disappear down into his home.

There was heavy pounding on the door at the top of the stairs. Angel threw back the covers, pulled on a pair of sweat pants, leaving Wesley sitting on the bed.

"Coming." The heavy pounding persisted. "_I said,_ I was coming!"

The heavy pounding persisted. Angel stomped up the stairs, now severely irritated. He threw open the door with a _bang!_ As it bounced off the back wall. He looked around.

"Hello?"

He felt a tug on his sweatpants. He looked down and gave a startled yelp.

"WESLEY!"

Judy was lying on his doormat, her clothes torn and bloody. Her arm was bent awkwardly behind her, telling him instantly it was broken, badly. She looked up at him, her face bruised and bloody. One eye was completely swallowed shut. She wheezed out a sentence before passing out.

"Angel… help me."


	11. Chapter 12

Angel watched the sleeping girl on the bed as Wesley set her arm into a brace. Her face didn't even as much as flinch during what was supposed to be an incredibly painful process. Wesley gently place her arm on top of the comforter and stood.

The two men walked into the other room. Cordelia went to the room to change her into more comfortable sleeping, hopefully without waking her up. Wesley had given her enough sedative to keep her unconscious for a little while.

"Is it as bad as she looks?" Angel asked, keeping his voice quiet to keep from drawing attention to the two of them. Cordelia shut the door to give them privacy.

"Well, the abrasions all over her back and cheeks along with the way her arm was broken, I'd say….Angel, it seems she was hit by a car. Judging by the heaviness and the brutality of her injuries, it's very likely that it was done on purpose." He admitted, shaking his head sadly.

Angel could feel fury building from the pit of his stomach. He clenched his fists and punched a hole in the wall beside him, giving a roar of anger. Wesley scrambled to make up for his mistake.

"Angel, calm down! I don't know this for sure! She could have just fallen down some stairs or maybe just –"

"Woke up because of you two bozos!" Cordelia snapped from the door. She looked to Angel and gently said, "She wants to see you. Apparently the noise woke her up so she's still a little groggy from the sedatives."

Angel sprinted over to the bed in the next room. Judy was bleary-eyed, her black hair still braided behind her head. He sat down and took her hot hand in his icy one.

"Angel…."

"I'm right here, Jude. How do you feel?" He asked, his voice soft. Behind his eyes, he could feel tears begin to prick at the sight of seeing his little girl in so much pain. She smiled and grasped his hand in a surprising amount of strength. She reached up and placed in on her burning forehead with a sigh of content.

"I like your hands. They feel nice and cold."

He returned her smile.

"Why are you so hot all the time if you're part vampire?" He asked as he placed both of his hands on her face, letting her feel the coolness and feeling her relax in response.

"I think it's because Vampires burn when they touch it and I drank holy water with ashes in it. So it's always burns in me. I always feel hot but never have a fever. It's really strange."

She reached up and moved Angel's hands to her throat before continuing. "I remember running from the bar, running for a long time and then…._it_ happening. The last thing I remember is lying on the concrete and the person picking me up, putting me in their car and driving off."

He felt the rage return a hundred fold. Only one person knew of Judy's relationship with Angel. Who else besides Cordy, Wesley and Gunn knew where his apartment was and Judy couldn't have made the trek if she was unconscious.

"Lindsey did this to you, didn't he?" He stated this more than asking because he already knew the answer. He almost dreaded whether or not she'd confirm it. If she did, there would be hell to pay with that man and they both knew it.

She nodded, her eyes watering with tears. Quickly, she reached up and wiped them away, pushing him away at the same time. He rested his hand on her forehead again, brushing her bangs out of her eyes.

"You scare me at times, Jude."

She raised an eyebrow. "Why? You've seen worse."

He pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers and took a shaky breath. "Yes, I know. The thing is even when I was Angelus, you were still my little girl. Sure, I tortured you to no end and made your life hell. But I'd kill the first person who so much as looked at you in a way I didn't like. I'm not the same anymore. The idea of someone purposefully hitting you with a car makes me sick. "

His voice broke as he murmured, "I hate seeing you hurt."

It took a moment for it all to sink in. Judy looked at the man she had come to look at like a father and watched him sit in silence, attempting not to appear upset in front of her. She frowned and opened her arms.

"Angel, come here."

He leaned back and ended up with his head resting on her chest with her arms wrapped around him, stroking his hair. He closed his eyes, ignoring the fact that it should be him comforting her, not the other way around.

"It's alright, Angel. Everything's going to be fine." She murmured, touching the bristles of his gelled hair. "Even if your hair is like a porcupine, you'll be fine as long as you don't land on your head on soft ground because then I can't help you."

She felt a laugh grumble in his chest followed by a choked, strangled laugh.

"You joke when people are trying to kill you?"

She held his face up so he was looking at her eye to eye.

"If there's one thing you taught me, Angel, is that it could always be worse."

He let another strangled laugh out before resting his head back down on her belly. The two of them stayed that way until soon Judy was in a drug-induced sleep again.

Seeing that she was in bed asleep and he knew exactly where and how she was, Angel rested his head on the mattress, curled into a ball and finally fell asleep.


	12. Chapter 13

"You remember when that one family tried to take you home with them?" Angel laughed, leaning against the headboard. "The one with four girls in Bucharest? The mom really wanted you to come home with them for some reason."

"How could I forget?" Judy sat up on her side, resting her head on her palm. "And you leapt out of the bushes, scooped me up and took off, scaring the hell out of all of them. The looks on their faces were priceless!"

The two of them fell over laughing, clutching their sides in mirth. Angel stood up and walked over to the fridge to retrieve a water bottle and a bag of blood. He tossed her the water and tore the top of the blood to lie on his back on the bed to drink. Judy twisted open the top with her casted hand with ease.

"Your arm is healing rather nicely. It's been only three days since you broke it and you can move it. That's rather nice."

"I'd say. Being a vamp/homo-sapien hybrid does have its perks. Accelerated healing is one of them that I enjoy very much. One day more and I can take off the cast and take off in general so you can go back to your life."

Angel blanched, swallowing another mouthful of blood. "Why do you want to leave so badly, Jude? Don't you like staying here with me?"

"I do like being here. I like your soul self and your cooking even better than that. I just don't think that having an un-aging teenager in your house is a wise idea. What do you want me to say? We can't exactly play house like this forever, no matter how much I like living with you." Judy admitted slowly, for the first time ever, actually afraid of hurting his feelings.

He sighed and flopped on his back, lacing his fingers behind his head to rest on his open palms.

"Jude, I love you. Please stay here."

This threw Judy for a loop. Did Angel, formerly known as Angelus the scourge of Europe and the most feared man in history just say what she thought she had just heard come from his mouth?

"What?"

He rolled over and sat up on his elbows. "You heard me. I love you, Judy. I'd like for you to stay here. I can find another bed to put in here, I'll buy you some food, how does that sound?"

It took a moment for it all to sink in. Angel wanted her to stay with him? She couldn't figure out why she felt happy at this opportunity. So she did what she did best and shrugged nonchalantly to pretend she didn't care.

"Okay, I guess."

Angel's face did a double take as he asked in clarification, "I tell you I love you and I want to come live with me and all you say is okay, I guess?" He wasn't angry at her but severely confused at her lack of a reaction.

"Um… well, I like being here when you have a soul and not trying to hurt me. I also really like the idea of not having Lorney in my room trying to sing me to sleep every night or waking up at 4:30 in the morning to him singing _Here comes the sun_ by the Beatles in the shower because he wasn't raised to sleep-in in Pylea. So it's okay, I guess."

An awkward moment passed between the two of them. Angel flopped back down on his back to rest his head on his laced fingers. Judy closed her eyes, hoping to fall asleep before he spoke again.

No such luck. In fact, he made it worse.

"Do you ever think about them?"

"Who?"

"Your sisters. Do you ever think about them?"

Judy suddenly felt that stab of fear in the pit of her stomach. She scooted down and rolled over to have her back to him, her arms crossed over her chest under the comforter. His hand rested on her shoulder, attempting to pull her back but she shook him away.

"Don't, Angel."

"Don't what? It was a simple yes or no question. Do you ever think about them?"

She scowled and replied. "I don't want to talk about it."

"It seems to me you've never talked about it, not in the 157 years since I left you. I know I'm not the right person for this considering whenever life gets tough, I just hone my brooding skills. You should still try and talk about it."

She threw him the dirtiest look she could muster.

"I can't think about them. I won't. My sisters would have died any way, maybe only a few months later than they did but they would have." She growled, sitting up. Angel couldn't help but smile a little at her outburst.

"You think so?"

She suddenly felt doubly frustrated at his lack of reaction.

"I know so! Gerty was a crier, she would have bawled for days on end and would have not tolerated going without food for days like you made me do. You would have taken her out in months. Julie was a whiner, if things weren't her way she had to make life hell for everyone particularly our father. You would have killed her within days!" Judy cried.

A silence passed again, Angel smiling and Judy's chest feeling like it had been torn open. He rest his arm around her shoulders in an act of affection. She felt tears prick in the back of her eyes as he then said:

"Doesn't that feel better?"

She jerked away, her face ruddy with tears now.

"No it feels worse! I said for you to take me because I knew that I could do best. It wasn't to save my sisters from being tortured or starved! It was because I knew I didn't want to die yet and they would die sooner or later anyway. I knew I could save myself by learning to survive. I promised myself the first time I went a week without anything to eat that I wouldn't die. That they had it easy because I knew I was the smartest out of the three of us."

**_That's right. Angel just seems to get a kick out of re-hashing all her feeling. Hopefully it'll work out! Read and review! The more reviews, the faster the chapters!_**


	13. Chapter 14

_**BANG! BANG! BANG!**_

Lorne blinked the sleep out of his eyes and yawned, sitting up in bed. He could hear someone downstairs trying to get in. Luckily, the club being a sanctuary meant that no one could get into it when he deemed it closed.

_**BANG! BANG! BANG!**_

"We're closed!" He called down from his bed. The sound of someone frantically pacing, the click of converse on pavement and more loud knocking of fists on wood, gaining volume by the moment.

_**BANG! BANG! BANG!**_

"Good grief, I'm coming!" He snapped, severely irritated at the person stubborn attitude. He casted a glance at his clock, which read in angry, red numbers, 2:57 in the morning.

He pulled on a robe over his flannel pajamas and walked downstairs to open the door. To his surprise, Judy was standing in the doorway with a knapsack on her back, her clothes soaked clear through and her hair slicked down by the rain that had contributed to the deafening noise that had awaken him.

"Judes, what are you doing here? I thought you'd be off with Angel-cakes by now." Her dark brown eyes gazed up at him like an innocent doe. He yanked off his robe and wrapped it around her shoulders, his arm around her. "Come inside, let's get you out of the rain."

He led her into the bar and sat her up to the counter on a stool while he went around the counter to get two drinks: one of chocolate milk, the other a glass of bourbon and ice. He set the drinks down and pulled up a stool beside her.

"Lorney, you know I'm 174 years old. I can drink alcohol." She said her voice raspy from the cold. He reached over and rubbed her shoulders in an effort to get her warm.

"I know. But you look like you're a kid, doll, and I can't ethically give you any of it without feeling like an awful person. Now, can you tell me where you've been and why you're here?"

She looked up at him and sang softly.

"_For you, There'll be no more crying._

_For you, the sun will be shining._

'_Cause I feel that when I'm with you._

_It's alright…I know it's right._

_To you, I'd give the world._

_To you, I'll never be cold._

'_Cause I feel that when I'm with you._

_It's alright….I know it's right._

_And the songbirds keep singing._

_Like they know the score._

_But I love you, I love you, I love you._

_Like never before._

_And I wish you all the love in the world._

_But most of all, I wish it from myself._

_And the songbirds keep singing_

_Like they know the score._

_But I love you, I love you, I love you_

_Like never before._

_Like never before."_

Lorne wiped away tears that had fallen from his eyes. "You're voice has always made me want to cry. But that was something else." He pulled her to him into a tight hug, her cheek resting on his collarbone. She breathed in, finally feeling safe for once.

"You really can't catch a break, can you Judes?"

"Doesn't look like it, Does it?"

He gave a short huh! Of laughter before pulling away. "Well, your room's the same way you left it. I almost didn't want to think you had up and left me but I would have understood if you did. He is kind of like your father, isn't her?"

She shrugged. "Kind of." Judy rested her head on the heel of her palm with her elbow rested on the counter. "I can't understand why he's so gung ho on the two of us getting along. I mean, it's not like we're family. He killed mine last time I checked."

"Well, Judes, maybe that's why. He feels some sort of responsibility towards you since he did in fact, orphan you after all. Maybe you should stop running off every time he tries to reach out to you in a both physical and emotional aspect. It doesn't bother you when I do it, now does it?"

Lorne didn't receive an answer. He looked over to Judy and laughed. The girl had fallen asleep at the counter, her forehead on the cool hardwood surface. Her ivory cheeks were even more luminescent in the dark of the bar.

With a slightly annoyed sigh, Lorne lifted her up, robe and all into a bridal carry. This wasn't the first time she had fallen asleep in an inconvenient spot, making him carry her up to bed. He doubted it would be the last. The kid slept like a rock when she knew she was safe.

He pulled off the robe and tugged the covers up to her shoulders.

After living with him for six months, Lorne had added some of Judy's flair to the guest room. The walls were a navy blue with silver dusted across the walls. Plastic, glow-in-the-dark stars were pasted on the ceiling and her comforter was a silvery with blue threads woven in.

He knew it would go back to being empty soon. Shame, really, because he had come to like his house guest.

XOX

"_No! He's just a boy!"_

_Judy screamed as Darla bit down on the three year old boy's throat. He cried pitifully, attempting to stretch his hands out to Judy to save him. Angelus's hands were clamped on her shoulders._

"_Stop! I just wanted someone to play with! Please!"_

_Darla casted the child's body aside as Angelus shoved Judy into her. She planted a bloody kiss on the eleven year Old's cheek. "We're your playmates, you silly child." She slapped her so hard, she fell on her back on the cobble stones._

"_We're your family. We're all you need, Judith."_

XOX

Judy sat straight up in bed, screaming. Lorne was already at her bedside, bourbon and a glass of water in hand. She struggled to breath as Lorne held her to his chest tightly, resting his chin on top of her head.

Her wheezing slowly turned to sobs as she grasped to Lorne tightly, as if he were going to fade away at any moment if she let up her grip even at little bit.

"It's okay, Judes. Lorney's here, I've got you, sweet pea."

She gulped down the water, trying to separate the nightmare from reality as Lorne rocked her gently side to side. He cooed words that were non-coherent to her ears, both in English and Pylean. Judy felt her breath return to normal. She closed her eyes, sleepiness starting to return.

"Lorney, I've got to go back. No more running away, we have to talk."


	14. Chapter 15

_Tap tap._

Angel rolled over on his side, facing the wall. The noise was probably the rain against his door, not worth leaving the warmth of his blankets for.

TAP TAP.

He rolled onto his back to look at the ceiling and groaned.

"No one can ever bother me while I'm awake, can they?" He grumbled to himself before pulling on a pair of sweatpants. He padded to the door barefoot and swung it open, letting it bang against the wall.

"What do-"

There was no one standing in the doorway. Luckily, the rainclouds hid the sun away from his doorframe, allowing Angel full view out the front of the door.

But directly above him.

Judy was gripping the top of the frame, standing on her hands. A bead of sweat trickled down her cheek. When Angel turned to close the door, she swung her weight down. The momentum sent her body swinging into the door way and slamming her boots into Angel's back.

He crashed to the floor with a grunt of pain before using vampire reflexes to leap back to the balls of his feet into a crouch. He froze where he stood; eyes wide and mouth agape. For a moment, his fists went slack and all he could do was stare at the girl standing before her.

"Why do always insist on fighting, Precious?"

"Shut up!" she cried out.

She rushed at the man and swung a right hook at his jaw. Taken aback, he could only retreat to avoid Judy's fist. She swung her left hand and this too was dodged. Keeping the momentum of her body's spin, she lifted her foot and aimed a kick for the man's torso. Her body was stopped abruptly as Angel expertly deflected her foot before she could make contact.

"Why do you want to fight so much?" He demanded, frustration creeping into his voice.

"I said shut it!" She exclaimed and twisted free from the man. She backpedaled and ducked behind a pillar to keep away from Angel's reaching hands.

"Don't talk to me like that!"

"You're not my father!" She yelled. "He's dead."

"I've apologized for that over a dozen times and I'll apologize again!" He shouted angrily, snatching her up by the front of her shirt and lifting her off the floor. Her pale, thin legs dangled. "And again until you calm down."

How dare he hurt her like this? How dare he taunt her with memories?

With a feral cry, she kicked at him again. He casted her again, sending her sliding across the floor into the wall. Stars appeared before her eyes as she cried out in agony. She ducked low and swung a leg at Angel's feet. Her shin connected with the back of the man's ankles and the force of the impact sent him flat on his back on the concrete floor. Before he had hit the ground, Judy was already up and preparing for her next attack.

She glared daggers at Angel, rising at vampiric speed to his feet and sprang again, her fist aimed at his solar plexus to render him immobile with air-deprived lungs. But Angel was too fast and slipped past her; slapping her hand aside and shoved her roughly into the wall.

Her head roared a second time with excruciating, sickly pain as it connected with the cement. She blinked the bright lights behind her eyes away and launched another attack. Again, Angel dodged. He didn't try to land his own attack but continued to dance just out of her range.

Frustration and her growing rage mingled with a clutching pain that gripped her heart and forced her breaths to come out in sobbing gasps. Her vision blurred dangerously. The pain from the night was taking a toll and her attacks became unfocused and feeble. Her punches went wide and Angel was walking around her instead of jumping away. Her legs shook, giving way for her to collapse to the floor.

Angel gazed at her sadly with large eyes. He fell to one knee beside her and touched her shoulder as she brought her knees to her chest with her hands clamped over her ears, crying out in pain.

"I want to help you, I really do. Judy, I hate how it has to be like this."

"Stop saying that! You know I don't believe – "

She was cut off by his fingers pinching a nerve in her neck. Her limbs slackened instantly as she fell unconscious instantaneously. He stood up, and crossed his arms while gazing down at the body on the floor.

"That was getting old. Either kill me or talk, don't be turn into Jackie Chan every time you get mad, for god's sake."

He reached down and scooped her up into a bridal carry, cradling her to his chest to inspect the damage on her head. Her forehead was bruised badly, a purplish-blue knot forming at her right temple. Her cheek was cut and bleeding badly.

The smell of the blood trickling down her skin was interesting. It was sweet smelling with an almost salty hint, like salted caramel. It drew him in like a moth to a flame. He lowered his head to hers, breathing in the scent deeply, making his mouth water.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?"

He looked up to see Gunn standing at the bottom of the stairs. He had turned the corner in time to only see Angel about to taste the blood on her cheek.

Judy fell to the floor as Angel's arms went limp in shock. Gunn ran forward in just enough time to catch her head before it collided with the floor.

"Gunn, this isn't what it-"

"Don't tell me this isn't what it looks like! I swear to god I will stake you right here and now Angelus!" He warned dangerously, picking her up into his own arms. Judy's head lolled back against his shoulder as he bolted out the door, leaving Angel dumbstruck and severely confused.


	15. Chapter 16

Judy rolled onto her side, feeling heat wash her face comfortably. It was severe contrast to the floor, cold and rough concrete. A coarse wool blanket was thrown lackadaisically over her legs. Her eyes flickered open to see a fire a mere foot away from her face. The light caused her head to spontaneously shrieked pain, causing her to cry out and clap her hands over her eyes with a hiss of pain.

"Yeah, a concussion will do that to you." A serious voice murmured.

Judy shifted away from the fire to sit up slowly, her head feeling as if it was a thousand pounds heavier than it was. She felt her hair only to find that there was a beanie, several sizes too big for her head, covering her head.

She reached to take it off only to feel a hand cover hers to stop it.

"No. The group wouldn't let have any bandages so it's stopping the bleeding on your head." The same serious voice warned her. She rested her hand back on her knee but the hand stayed on top of hers. She followed the dark brown skin of it's owner up to the face of boy she'd seen on the streets before she had gotten tangled up with Angel.

His dark brown eyes, despite his forlorn and serious face, were wide and almost had a twinkle of hidden kindness inside them. He wore a black hoodie and blue jeans with black sneakers. Her stomach jumped nervously as she saw that in his free hand was a wooden stake.

"A-Are you going to kill me?" She whispered, trying to act as fearless as possible and failing miserably. He looked back at his weapon and looked back at her, sitting back on his haunches to gaze at her.

"Depends. Are you going to bite me?"

She looked down at her hand where his still rested. "I'm not a vampire so no." She twisted her hand around to grip his in a handshake. "My name is Judy. You can call me Jude."

He paused for a moment, surprised at the high temperature of her skin. "I'm Gunn."

"Gunn?"

"Charles Gunn."

"Oh."

He removed his hand slowly, still staring at her with a skeptical gaze. "You're skin's hot." He reached over to touch the pulse point on her throat to find her frantic heartbeat. She gasped at his cold hands touching her skin only for his hand to fly off as if electrically charged. He removed his fingers slowly as if not sure what he was seeing, his eyes full of fear and curiousity.

"What are you?"

She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, brushing her long bangs from her eyesight. "I'm immortal."

"But how?" His face and voice gave away that he was no longer suspicious of her, rather more curious than anything. "How is that possible without a bite or something?"

"I unknowingly drank from a fountain of holy water and vampire ash. Ever since that day, I haven't aged a day over seventeen." She told him, a bitter overtone to her voice. "All that changed is my heartbeat and temperature."

He moved over to sit opposite of her on the other side of the fire. She looked around the room, almost suspicious of the bunker-like room they were in.

"What's with the room?"

"It's where my gang hangs out. We kill…" His voice trailed off as he looked away.

"So how did you get mixed up with Angel if you guys kill vamps?" She asked bluntly. "I hate them too, don't worry."

"They don't have anything to do with him. I'm the one who works with Angel. We met a while ago, a couple days before my sister's…." His voice trailed off as Gunn became lost in thought. He cleared his throat and looked back to Judy. "So how did you know him?"

She replied simply. "Back in the day, when he was soulless, he killed my parents and my triplet sisters. His woman, Darla, adopted me and I was their bait. He ditched me at an orphanage when I was fifteen."

Gunn's eyebrows rose to his hairline as his jaw dropped in shock and horror. "I'm not sure what part of that is more crazy: the fact that you were a triplet or that he killed your entire family and you haven't staked him yet."

She gave him small, almost bitter smile. "Juliet, Gertrude and Judith, identical to the last freckle. Darla got my mother, Angel got my father. I found him out in the barn when I went to say goodnight. He was feeding on my favourite horse and grabbed me as I ran back to the house."

"Turns out, when I said, "Can come in now." I didn't specifically say _father_ so Angel and Darla got into the house and finished off my sisters. They kept me so they could raise me to be the perfect vampire." She gave a small bitter laugh, staring blankly into the fire between them.

Gunn was silent. He couldn't wrap his mind around how the girl in front of him was as sane as she was. He never knew his parents so losing Alonna was devastating enough. But to lose two sisters, a mother and a father was unimaginable.

But there she sat, sane as he was, the firelight casting a red tint on her normally jet black hair and casting an orange glow on her pale skin. She still stared at the flames instead of him, almost as if she was afraid to look at him.

She didn't realize how beautiful she was. But he did.

"Are you afraid of me?" He asked quietly.

She looked up and gave him a real smile. "No."

"Why? I've killed plenty before."

She looked back down into the fire. "If you wanted to kill me, you wouldn't have called Angel. You would have done it yourself."

He smiled for her the first time since he had taken her from Angel.

"Hell, if I'd known that he was the reason you're stuck the way you are, I wouldn't have called him in the first place." He admitted, not sure how she would respond to it.

She stood up slowly, her head cocked to the side in confusion. "Why? What would it matter to you?"

He looked away and let out a small sigh. "Because I can't stand the thought of someone like you being hurt."

She moved forward so she was sitting cross-legged on the ground next to him. They sat that way for a while, both of them staring into the fire deep in their own thoughts. It was Gunn who made the first move.

His arm slipped around Judy's waist.


End file.
